Will media repeat Jindal's false attack on Obama, or correct it?
Written by Jamison Foser
Published
According to Ben Smith, Bobby Jindal will accuse Obama of pessimism tonight, saying:
A few weeks ago, the President warned that our nation is facing a crisis that he said 'we may not be able to reverse.' Our troubles are real, to be sure. But don't let anyone tell you that we cannot recover - or that America's best days are behind her.
Smith didn't mention this, but Jindal's claim is false. Obama didn't say “we may not be able to reverse” the crisis; he said if we continue to do nothing, it may reach a point where it cannot be reversed. And he didn't say “we cannot recover” or that “America's best days are behind her.” Simply didn't happen.
Here's Obama's February 5 op-ed:
What Americans expect from Washington is action that matches the urgency they feel in their daily lives -- action that's swift, bold and wise enough for us to climb out of this crisis.
Because each day we wait to begin the work of turning our economy around, more people lose their jobs, their savings and their homes. And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.
That's why I feel such a sense of urgency about the recovery plan before Congress. With it, we will create or save more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, provide immediate tax relief to 95 percent of American workers, ignite spending by businesses and consumers alike, and take steps to strengthen our country for years to come.
UPDATE: Salon's Alex Koppelman is all over this:
That's misleading, at best, though it's a cute little frame. (“Obama doesn't believe in you!”) In context, it's clear that the quote Jindal refers to means almost exactly the opposite of what he says it does.